1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to protective apparel and in particular to apparel which reflects light so as to protect the wearer by providing visibility at night.
2. Background of the Art
Many accidents to pedestrians and bike riders occur at night because of their low visibility to motorists. Many safety organizations promote the use of at least lightly colored clothing at night, and for the truly safety conscious, reflective apparel is available. This reflective apparel has strips of materials strategically sewn onto the article of clothing so that light from headlamps or street lights is reflected, giving higher visibility to the wearer.
Materials are available commercially which can be sewn onto articles of clothing to add reflective strips to any other article of clothing. Reflective strips are also available which can be pasted or adhered to clothing without the need for sewing. These materials provide enhanced night visibility, but sewing is a permanent attachment, may be difficult for many people to do, and can damage the article of clothing if the reflective material is ever to be removed. Likewise if the reflective material is adhered to the clothing by adhesives, damage is very likely upon removal of the reflective material from the clothing.
A simple waist encircling belt of reflective material can be worn, but athletic gear (such as sweatshirts) may ride over a firmly secured belt and obscure the reflective surface. Sashes, such as sashes worn by pageant contestants, may have reflective materials on them, such as metallic lettering, but such sashes tend to slip and do not ride uniformly, possibly twisting so as to again obscure the reflective surface.
Vests have been fashioned which include strips of reflective or retroreflective material attached to them. These vests have the disadvantage of being bulky, and by covering a major part of the wearer's torso to provide limited areas of reflectivity, are obtrusive. In addition these vests usually require the use of ties, buttons, or snaps to keep them in place.